Envelope



May 1, 1945. E. B. BERKOWITZ ENVELOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 3

INVENTOR ene 5 Berkowifz A rromvsys.

May 1, 1945. E. B. BERKOWITZ ENVELOPE Filed Aug. '5, 1942 2 sheets sheet 2 INVENTOR; fu ene 5' Br/rowifz A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 1, 1945 2 UNITED STATES; PA EN AO C f Eugene B.Berkowitz,'Kansas City, Mo., assignor,

to Tension Envelope Corporation of Kansas City. a corporation of Delaware Application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,321

3 Claims (01. 229-77) This invention relatesto envelopes, particularly of the type having ties for retainingthe closure flaps in closed position. Heretofore it has been the practice to attach buttons to the closure flap and body portion of an envelope by means of grummets, one of which forms an anchor for affixing the end of a string or cord that is adapted to be drawn around the respective buttons when the flap is closed to retain an enclosure. This type of envelope is highlysatisfactory. for retaining heavy enclosures and permits ready opening for inspection purposes, but it is expensive to manufacture.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a less expensive and simplified construction, and which does not require the use of metal grummets.

Further objects of the invention are to provide the envelope with an. integrally formed anchor cooperating with a, single button to receive the string when closing the envelope; and to provide for attaching the single button by means of the string.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafterpointed out, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: j

' Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the closure end of anenvelope embodying the features of the present invention showing the closure flap in closed and secured position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the open position, i I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the envelope on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. f

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the inner face of the back of the envelope, particularly illustrating the manner of reeving the string.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the closure end portion of a modified form of envelope.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8, Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inner face of the back of the envelope illustrated flap in opening and be retained, as. now to be described.v

end flaps so thatwhen the blank is folded the rectangular portion constitutes the front .2 of thev envelope, the side flaps form the back 3, the lower end flap forms the bottom closure (not shown), and the upper endfiap forms the closure flap 4.

The side flaps composing the back are of a combined width greaterthan the width of thefront 2 to provide relatively wide lapping portions 5 and 6 at the center thereof. The lapping'portions 5 and 6 are secured together by an adhesive to form a seam and thebottom flap (not shown) is likewise secured to the lower ends of the side flaps by suitable adhesive to complete the back 3 and which cooperates with the front 2 toform a pocket 1 having an insert opening 8 adjacent the upper closure flap 4, the flap 4 being foldableover the back 3 of the envelope to cover the insert Superimposed upon the front side of the closure flap 4 is a button 9 which may be a small cardboard disk and located in registry therewith on the inner side of the flap 4 is a rein'forcementdisk ID. The disks may be of any suitable shape but the button is illustrated as circular and thereinforcement as rectangular. a

The disk members justdescribed are attached to the flap 4 by a cord or string N that is stitched therethrough' as at I 2, one end til-of the string extending under a stitch I2 on the button .side so it is anchored sufficiently to prevent pulling out of the stitches'when, a pull is exerted I upon the free end [4 of the string which emerges in Fig. 6, particularly illustrating the string anfrom the reinforcement l0 on the under sideof the flap 4', as best shown in Fig.2. The free end' I4 of the string is of sufficient length to extend about an anchoring-means l5 formed as an integral part of the back 3 at the seam thereof and thence to be looped between the button 9 and closure flap 4. g

The anchoring means shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive is formed by providing the lapping portions 5 and 6 with spaced slits I6 and I1 including downwardly and outwardly directed curved portions 20 and 2| having spaced ends l8 and I9 andconnected with upwardly converging slits 22 and 23 which may terminate in spaced aper-- tures 24 and 25,the apertures or notches being of a size to receive the string therein. The slits thus provide oppositely directed wings 25 and 21 are thus composed of a plurality of plies which.

are reinforced by the adhesive securing the lapping portions forming the seam.

In using the envelope, the contents are placed therein and the closure flap 4 is folded over the insert opening 8. The free end M of the string is drawn downwardly and passed under the wing 26 and thence under the wing 21 to seat within the aperture 25, after which the. string is drawn upwardly over the closure flap 4 and moved about the button 9 so that it passes thereunder. The envelope is readily opened to permit inspection of the contents, or to effect removal thereof by 3 reversing the direction of passing the string.

2. An envelope. including front and back por-,

tions, one of said portions being formed by flaps The form of invention shown in Figs. 6 to 10 is i similar with the exception that the lapped por tions 30 and 3| of the envelope back 32 have a substantially U shaped slit 33 which may terforcement so that the portion of the envelope 1 around the slit is also reinforced.

The wings 26 and 2'! of the first form of the invention have sufficient strength because the slits I6 and I1 are not connected. However, when the material from which the envelope is formed is relativelythin, the reinforcement is I desirable in the second form of the the invention to assure against upward curling of the tongue.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an envelope of the type referred to which is simple and inexpensive to construct and which requires no metal.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

. 1. An envelope including front and back portions, one of said portions being formed by flaps attached to the other portion and having lapping D E f i g a seam of double thickness, an adhesive securing saidlapping portions of the flaps together, said envelope having an insert opening extending transversely of the flaps at one end thereof, a closure flap on the corresponding end of said other portion and adapted to be folded over the insert opening to overlie said flaps, a button, a string securing the button to the closure flap in substantial registry with said seamand having, a free end, a string anchoring minate at the ends in apertures or notches 34 and 35 to receive the string 36 when it is passed under the hook=like tongue 3'! formed thereby.

The tip of the tongue 3'! is preferably broken upwardly to provide a lip 38 for facilitating passage of the string thereunder. If the envelope material is thin, the tongue is preferably reinforced on the under face thereof by a patch reinforcement 39 applied to the inner face of the envelope back with a suitable adhesive. The U shaped slit preferably extends through the rein-' attached to the other portion and having lapping portions forming a seam of double thickness, an adhesive securing said lapping portions of the flaps together, said envelope having an insert opening extending transversely of the flaps at one end thereof, a closure flap on the corresponding end of said other portion and adapted to be I folded over the insert opening to overlie said flaps, a button, a string securingthe button to the closure flap in substantial registry with said seam and having a free end; laterally spaced wings struck from said seam at points spaced from said insert opening a distance at least equal to the extent that the closure flap overlies said portion of the envelope formed by the firstmentioned flapsand adapted to be engaged by the free end of the string, said Wing's being of double thickness by reason of the lapping portions of the first-mentioned flaps and reinforced by said adhesive. l

3. An envelope including front and back portions, one of said portions being formed by flaps attached to the -other portion and having laps forming a seam of double thickness, an adhesive securing said lappin portions of the. flaps together, said envelope having an insert opening extending transversely of the .flaps at one end thereof, aclosure flap on the corresponding end of 'said other portion and adapted to be folded over the insert opening to overlie, said flaps, a button, a string securing the button to the closure flap in substantial registry with said seam and having a free end, said seam having arcuate slits with adjacent ends spacedapart and the opposite ends terminating in, converging slits spaced inwardly of the envelope from said insert opening a distance at least equal to the extent that the closure 'flap overlies said portion of the envelope formed by the first-mentionedfiaps to provide laterally spaced wings adapted to be engaged by the free end of'the stringsaid Wings being of double thickness by reason of the, lapping portions of the first-mentioned flaps and reinforced by said adhesive. I

EUGENE B. BERKO'WITZ. 

